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Aimee
Even though she was acquitted, it seems that everyone-even her own parents-believes that Zoe helped her best friend, Aimee, commit suicide. Now, months later, her family has moved to a new town to escape the stigma of the trial, and Zoe is completely cut off from her group of friends. In her new life Zoe is paralyzed by loneliness, guilt, and anger at everyone's suppression of the truth. As she writes in her journal, Zoe gradually lets readers into her world, a world where parents don't listen, therapists don't help, and best friends betray you. In the end Zoe realizes that she never could have saved Aimee, but she might be able to save herself.
276 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 27, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
August 9, 2015
There was something true in this book. There was something that hit the bedrock of what life is. And this book made me legit cry.
We don’t learn the main characters name until very late in the narrative of this book, because this is not about the main character. It’s about all the things around her, and how her spot in the universe effects it, and how all the other things in the universe effect her spot in it.
It’s about a girl who was blamed for something horrible that happened to her.
It’s about loss and how do you move on from that? How do you fill that empty spot in the universe? How do you learn to live around it?
And learning to live around this empty spot is made even harder by the way other people reacted.
I loved this book. I loved how the situation was never fully explained, I love how it didn’t end at the end. I love how it did end, with the start of things mending, with the just barely trying to live around this empty spot.
And I really, really loved Chard.
We don’t learn the main characters name until very late in the narrative of this book, because this is not about the main character. It’s about all the things around her, and how her spot in the universe effects it, and how all the other things in the universe effect her spot in it.
It’s about a girl who was blamed for something horrible that happened to her.
It’s about loss and how do you move on from that? How do you fill that empty spot in the universe? How do you learn to live around it?
And learning to live around this empty spot is made even harder by the way other people reacted.
I loved this book. I loved how the situation was never fully explained, I love how it didn’t end at the end. I love how it did end, with the start of things mending, with the just barely trying to live around this empty spot.
And I really, really loved Chard.
November 26, 2007
Zoe is one angry 17-year-old. She has been blamed for helping her bestfriend commit suicide. She has moved out of her beloved neighborhood, only to feel even more isolated. While seeing a shrink she is given a journal. The journal is used so that she may confront her fears as well as her emotions at her own pace- that is because she will tell teh shrink NOTHING. This book is narrarated in teh form of her journal entries. You dont see the novel unfold in a chronological order, but more in the way of how Zoe is dealing with everything. You can see and experience her inner most thoughts. Her fear, her lack of passion to live, the fact that she misses her bestfriend dearly, and how just for once she wished her mother would just hold her.
Zoe feels as if no adult has paid sufficient atention to her needs and wants. All they pay attention to is what they want and what they feel they cna control. As part of her court hearing she is no longer able to have any type of communication with those who she grew up with and whith those whom she loves. She is alone. Alone with her self, in her house and in her school. She can no longer let anyone in.
Honestly I loved this book. I didnt think i would, and i'm not much of the reading type unless im on the train, but i can honestly say i couldnt put this book down. The way Zoe handled her life was not the best of ways. She dealt with her experiences in a close to fatal manner. I knew she wouldnt kill her self but i had to make sure. There was something about her character that reminded me of myself. I dont know exactly who i would recommend this book to, all im saying is that it's good
Zoe feels as if no adult has paid sufficient atention to her needs and wants. All they pay attention to is what they want and what they feel they cna control. As part of her court hearing she is no longer able to have any type of communication with those who she grew up with and whith those whom she loves. She is alone. Alone with her self, in her house and in her school. She can no longer let anyone in.
Honestly I loved this book. I didnt think i would, and i'm not much of the reading type unless im on the train, but i can honestly say i couldnt put this book down. The way Zoe handled her life was not the best of ways. She dealt with her experiences in a close to fatal manner. I knew she wouldnt kill her self but i had to make sure. There was something about her character that reminded me of myself. I dont know exactly who i would recommend this book to, all im saying is that it's good
Read
March 10, 2010 Aimee is not your ordinary happy go lucky story. It revolves around the world of a teen named Zoe, struggling with the sudden suicide of her best friend. Believing that she is to be blamed for Aimee’s death, Zoe struggles to move forward with her life. This book tackles popular teen issues such as drinking, depression, parental conflicts and suicide.
Several issues described in this book were very relatable to the average teen. “We weren’t angels but we weren’t bad kids either” (P. 76). The plot of the book is extremely long, describing the challenges she has to go through everyday. This shows the reader it doesn’t take 2 seconds to get through the death of a best friend. While I was reading, I found myself sympathizing for Zoe because of the parental problems she constantly faces. “But then I thought of the ice in her eyes when she’d pulled away, and I let go.” (P. 119). Depression/Suicide is a big issue that the book discusses. I found myself understand the loneliness and confusion that evolves around her. Zoe finds that she must deal with different people around her, constantly questioning her actions. It’s hard enough that she has to go to a new school but they all have preconceived opinions of her. “No offense to you, but I’ve heard about you.” (P.173). On top of that, she needs to go to a psychiatrist every few days. “I have to, but I don’t tell her about that cold dawn, how they brought me home in a squad car,..” (P. 165).
Mary Beth Miller uses very different and unique writing techniques in this book. Two of the most memorable techniques are: she doesn’t mention Zoe’s name until the very end of the book and there are absolutely no chapters. I found myself fully engaged in the book when the protagonist’s name wasn’t mentioned. By doing this the author creates a powerful and emotional ride for the reader. Without a character’s name this allows the reader to feel as if they themselves are the main character. The book isn’t written in chapters but it jumps from past to present. During past tense the book is written from Zoe’s journal entries. Mary Beth Miller uses several forms of writing techniques such as diction, similes and etc. “You there, Father Saint. You look like a good man. Come here and play for me.” (P. 61). This describes diction, her thoughts. “Mom trailing me like a billow of smoke spewing from a candle.” (P. 50). A powerful simile describing Zoe’s personal life.
Overall this book is very relatable to teens everywhere, facing real issues. Mary Beth Miller created a strong young woman that’s able to touch the hearts of teens everywhere. “A survivor lets life happen to them. They suffer through, get by, and go on. A liver takes hold of life, shifts events into what they want, plows over obstacles does things, gets into things, and if things crash, a liver can end them.” (P. 102). Aimee teaches us that there are always choices in life, but remember to pick your options wisely.
Several issues described in this book were very relatable to the average teen. “We weren’t angels but we weren’t bad kids either” (P. 76). The plot of the book is extremely long, describing the challenges she has to go through everyday. This shows the reader it doesn’t take 2 seconds to get through the death of a best friend. While I was reading, I found myself sympathizing for Zoe because of the parental problems she constantly faces. “But then I thought of the ice in her eyes when she’d pulled away, and I let go.” (P. 119). Depression/Suicide is a big issue that the book discusses. I found myself understand the loneliness and confusion that evolves around her. Zoe finds that she must deal with different people around her, constantly questioning her actions. It’s hard enough that she has to go to a new school but they all have preconceived opinions of her. “No offense to you, but I’ve heard about you.” (P.173). On top of that, she needs to go to a psychiatrist every few days. “I have to, but I don’t tell her about that cold dawn, how they brought me home in a squad car,..” (P. 165).
Mary Beth Miller uses very different and unique writing techniques in this book. Two of the most memorable techniques are: she doesn’t mention Zoe’s name until the very end of the book and there are absolutely no chapters. I found myself fully engaged in the book when the protagonist’s name wasn’t mentioned. By doing this the author creates a powerful and emotional ride for the reader. Without a character’s name this allows the reader to feel as if they themselves are the main character. The book isn’t written in chapters but it jumps from past to present. During past tense the book is written from Zoe’s journal entries. Mary Beth Miller uses several forms of writing techniques such as diction, similes and etc. “You there, Father Saint. You look like a good man. Come here and play for me.” (P. 61). This describes diction, her thoughts. “Mom trailing me like a billow of smoke spewing from a candle.” (P. 50). A powerful simile describing Zoe’s personal life.
Overall this book is very relatable to teens everywhere, facing real issues. Mary Beth Miller created a strong young woman that’s able to touch the hearts of teens everywhere. “A survivor lets life happen to them. They suffer through, get by, and go on. A liver takes hold of life, shifts events into what they want, plows over obstacles does things, gets into things, and if things crash, a liver can end them.” (P. 102). Aimee teaches us that there are always choices in life, but remember to pick your options wisely.
October 25, 2010
Aimee is a disappointing read. The main character, Zoe, has been accused, somehow, they never really fully explain why the court thought so, that she murdered her best friend, Aimee. Apparently that gives her mother and father enough convincing to move away, and to not believe really anything Zoe says. Zoe sounds like a whiny teenager trying to imitate the tone of a weary adult.
The only reason I finished the book was because I had to write this. There is no suspense, really, to keep you reading the book. As it is in the narrative form of first person, you are given some insight as to what Zoe is thinking. However, it is not enough to really relate to Zoe, unless you have been similarly in the same situation. Her mother seems like a high overworked typical middle class mom, who has her own crazy secrets.
To me it seemed like Aimee was the bad influence in Zoe’s life, or maybe the people Zoe was always around were the same way Zoe is portrayed ; angry, sullen, moody, and withdrawn. The realism of the story just isn’t believable. The therapist doest as much as she can, but instead of simply saying she wouldn’t like to talk, Zoe flaunts off, and it is clear she has never really liked her therapist, Marge, “Looking like a bit of a fish.”
The end of the book, I digress, was the most disappointing part of the book. There are so many unanswered questions, such as “How are Zoe and Chard able to ‘suddenly’ see one another? Was it not illegal two chapters ago?” and “Is Zoe’s case ever resolved? It’s great Zoe’s parents believe her, but what about the court?” there is no build up to finding out what happened the night Aimee killed herself.
Of course, everyone sympathizes with the anorexic in hospital, with her long desired feelings for her friend Chard, and for thinking her mother is an awful person. But then again, who doesn’t?
For a typical teenager looking for a light read, something that they in turn can complain about, this is an excellent book. For teenagers looking for a substantial and intriguing read, skip this next time you visit the bookstore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2011
I must admit that I was a reader of darker stories when I was a teen. If it was tragic, brutal & gut-wrenching, then I was all over it. Aimee by Mary Beth Miller falls into that category with both hands & feet. There is no escaping the hard truth that this book discuses.
Zoe is an exile. After moving to a new town, since there was no way she could stay in her old town after being acquitted of the murder of her best friend Aimee, Zoe is withdrawn, angry, & confused. Forced to see a therapist that she believes to be a moron, Zoe documents her existence in her new life while interjecting information about her former life. Her entries sometimes take on the form of rants against any and all adults & other times they are happy memories with her old friends.
The culmination of her work is when Zoe comes face to face with the reality of what she could have done for Aimee. Is Zoe really responsible for what happened to Aimee? If not, then how does she handle the continuance of her youth?
This was a hard book to really wrap my head around, at the time I read it. Mary Beth Miller does an eloquent & rawly fresh job of conveying one girl's turmoil over the loss of her friend & her struggle with her involvement. Zoe was a strong character who hid in her depths of anger. She had so many levels of anger that were all pointed at different targets & managed with varying levels of fervor.
The world that Miller creates is one that was just really emerging & taking shape at the time it was written. The situations that the teens participated in throughout the novel weren't the commonplace situations for teens of the time. Nowadays it's a different story, but I think it still has merit. This book reminds me of some of Sarah Dessen's earlier novels or even Elizabeth Scott's darker novels.
To be certain, this is a book that should be at least considered.
Zoe is an exile. After moving to a new town, since there was no way she could stay in her old town after being acquitted of the murder of her best friend Aimee, Zoe is withdrawn, angry, & confused. Forced to see a therapist that she believes to be a moron, Zoe documents her existence in her new life while interjecting information about her former life. Her entries sometimes take on the form of rants against any and all adults & other times they are happy memories with her old friends.
The culmination of her work is when Zoe comes face to face with the reality of what she could have done for Aimee. Is Zoe really responsible for what happened to Aimee? If not, then how does she handle the continuance of her youth?
This was a hard book to really wrap my head around, at the time I read it. Mary Beth Miller does an eloquent & rawly fresh job of conveying one girl's turmoil over the loss of her friend & her struggle with her involvement. Zoe was a strong character who hid in her depths of anger. She had so many levels of anger that were all pointed at different targets & managed with varying levels of fervor.
The world that Miller creates is one that was just really emerging & taking shape at the time it was written. The situations that the teens participated in throughout the novel weren't the commonplace situations for teens of the time. Nowadays it's a different story, but I think it still has merit. This book reminds me of some of Sarah Dessen's earlier novels or even Elizabeth Scott's darker novels.
To be certain, this is a book that should be at least considered.
October 9, 2011
Very good book. Loved the way in which it was written. def. recommend!
Read
July 1, 2022dnf 💀
October 24, 2010
Aimee by Mary Beth Miller is an intriguing book that relays the troubles of emotionally depressed teens. This book is particularly interesting to a teen audience because it deals with the relationship problems between a depressed and misunderstood teen. Rebellious and misunderstood teens can learn a great deal from Aimee about what not to do in times of stress or injustice. Mary Beth Miller clearly understands a teen's point of view and how they react.
Aimee can also be an intriguing book for adults. Adult readers may be inspired to be more involved in their children's lives after reading Aimee. Many of the problems in Aimee arise from the lack of trust or care between parent and child. Zoe, a depressed teenage girl who was accused of murder, must deal with the depth of her best friend, Aimee, without adequate support from her parents. Instead of gentle, caring parents, Zoe has impatient, uninterested parents that want nothing more than to ignore their daughter's problems. Because of the weak bond she has with her parents, Zoe ends up mentally unstable, antisocial and depressed for a long period of time. From reading Aimee, parents can understand to listen to their children instead of referring "everything a teenage want as a game" (pg 199).
Mary Beth Miller makes Aimee hard to put down because the writing style of the book. As a teen, the first person view of Aimee allows one to sympathize for Zoe and understand her inner most thoughts. Furthermore, the constant flashbacks of Zoe's memories with Aimee and her other best friends helps contrast Zoe's life before and after Aimee's suicide. This comparison increases the amount of sympathy for Zoe for what could've been. Also, the book is not divided into chapters which does not allow the reader to find a suitable place to stop. The most interesting and effective technique used by Mary Beth Miller is how she withheld Zoe's name until the last quarter of the book. This technique is effective because it keeps the reader wondering and guessing. It is also ironic how the reader can know so much about a girl's life, but not know her name.
Aimee can also be an intriguing book for adults. Adult readers may be inspired to be more involved in their children's lives after reading Aimee. Many of the problems in Aimee arise from the lack of trust or care between parent and child. Zoe, a depressed teenage girl who was accused of murder, must deal with the depth of her best friend, Aimee, without adequate support from her parents. Instead of gentle, caring parents, Zoe has impatient, uninterested parents that want nothing more than to ignore their daughter's problems. Because of the weak bond she has with her parents, Zoe ends up mentally unstable, antisocial and depressed for a long period of time. From reading Aimee, parents can understand to listen to their children instead of referring "everything a teenage want as a game" (pg 199).
Mary Beth Miller makes Aimee hard to put down because the writing style of the book. As a teen, the first person view of Aimee allows one to sympathize for Zoe and understand her inner most thoughts. Furthermore, the constant flashbacks of Zoe's memories with Aimee and her other best friends helps contrast Zoe's life before and after Aimee's suicide. This comparison increases the amount of sympathy for Zoe for what could've been. Also, the book is not divided into chapters which does not allow the reader to find a suitable place to stop. The most interesting and effective technique used by Mary Beth Miller is how she withheld Zoe's name until the last quarter of the book. This technique is effective because it keeps the reader wondering and guessing. It is also ironic how the reader can know so much about a girl's life, but not know her name.
September 30, 2008
Good god what long, dark, bleak road this was to finish.
It's not even that I don't think there should be more books about teen suicide, because there should, or that there should be more books about molestation, because there is always a need.
I don't know if maybe I'm kind of burned out on gay people being the latest 'IT' minority in YA novels. In the most recent YA books I've read, and these are not GAY teen novels, gay characters have been the best friend in love with the same-sex protagonist like three or four times. Is this a trend? Twice gay characters have been pedophiles. I'm just wondering if gay and lesbian characters are becoming the go-to plot twist.
This book, which has female pedophile in it, is just one ofthe most downtrodden, plodding novels I've ever trudged through, and I read Jude the Obscure. There seem to be little or no redeeming qualities either in the girl whose POV is used or her friends or even the suicide victim. There doesn't seem to be a crescendo or major conflict; just lots of angst and depression and lost hope.
I just think there have to better offerings than this on this subject. If you give me a minute I'm sure I can find some.
It's not even that I don't think there should be more books about teen suicide, because there should, or that there should be more books about molestation, because there is always a need.
I don't know if maybe I'm kind of burned out on gay people being the latest 'IT' minority in YA novels. In the most recent YA books I've read, and these are not GAY teen novels, gay characters have been the best friend in love with the same-sex protagonist like three or four times. Is this a trend? Twice gay characters have been pedophiles. I'm just wondering if gay and lesbian characters are becoming the go-to plot twist.
This book, which has female pedophile in it, is just one ofthe most downtrodden, plodding novels I've ever trudged through, and I read Jude the Obscure. There seem to be little or no redeeming qualities either in the girl whose POV is used or her friends or even the suicide victim. There doesn't seem to be a crescendo or major conflict; just lots of angst and depression and lost hope.
I just think there have to better offerings than this on this subject. If you give me a minute I'm sure I can find some.
May 31, 2015
I randomly bought this book for 1$ at a sale cause the synopsis sounded alright and it was only 1$! it had sat on my shelf for probably a year or more before I finally picked it up.
I am so glad I finally gave this a read. It was such a compelling and emotional journey. it really pulled me in and I found myself picking it up at every opportunity.
I love how a random pick of an author I'd never heard of and a under the radar book made for such a great read. It pays to be adventurous in your reading. which is something I forget to do a lot.
I also discovered this was the author's first novel and that just blew me away. Her writing was fantastic and flawless. she has a natural talent and I'm glad I chanced upon it.
I will definitely be sharing this book with friends. and I absolutely recommend it to any of you. But keep it mind, it is a kind of dark theme and some very depressing emotions are explored.
I just couldn't give up on zoe. Every page I found myself wishing strength upon her, as well as the ability to step outside herself and look at her life from the outside.
Overall a spectacular read and a definite recommended read.
I am so glad I finally gave this a read. It was such a compelling and emotional journey. it really pulled me in and I found myself picking it up at every opportunity.
I love how a random pick of an author I'd never heard of and a under the radar book made for such a great read. It pays to be adventurous in your reading. which is something I forget to do a lot.
I also discovered this was the author's first novel and that just blew me away. Her writing was fantastic and flawless. she has a natural talent and I'm glad I chanced upon it.
I will definitely be sharing this book with friends. and I absolutely recommend it to any of you. But keep it mind, it is a kind of dark theme and some very depressing emotions are explored.
I just couldn't give up on zoe. Every page I found myself wishing strength upon her, as well as the ability to step outside herself and look at her life from the outside.
Overall a spectacular read and a definite recommended read.
July 10, 2012
I picked this book up again because I know it's a story that I've slipped into easily before and really that's all I'm craving at the moment. An easy story to slip into and starve off the emotions that are trying to consume me. If I remember correctly I was in 9th grade the first time I read it. I accidentally left it on the bottom rack of my desk in Mr. Walker's classroom. Rushing up to the school (it was a Friday and I couldn't wait out the weekend!) I found a janitor who let me in to grab it. Ahh, memories.
Likes: The diary type style that it's written in. The hints and clues she drops that shape the story throughout the book. The cover art. The spelling of Aimee's name. The use of her name towards the end of the book. The love of Chard.
Dislikes: Aimee's death scene and the stretch of a trial.
Read Twice.
Likes: The diary type style that it's written in. The hints and clues she drops that shape the story throughout the book. The cover art. The spelling of Aimee's name. The use of her name towards the end of the book. The love of Chard.
Dislikes: Aimee's death scene and the stretch of a trial.
Read Twice.
November 29, 2012
It was a very interesting book! It actually had me wanting to keep on reading more. The way the author expressed the character writing in a journal and then how she expressed herself when she was not writing in her journal, but hanging with her friends was what I likes the most about this book. The suspense that was going on throughout the book with the killing of Aimee and her best friend being accused of her death caught my eyes a lot. The way everything was in the detailed helped me give me a picture in my head. I recommend everyone to read this book if you are interested in reading about a teenager killing her best friend when in all reality that's what in all didn't occur....
April 8, 2015
how would you act if your best friend killed herself in front of you? what would you do? to lose your bff then be accused of helping her, anyone would be angry, anxious and depressed. i think this book can be a huge trigger but can be healing also.
July 19, 2022
"Mom thinks she's so quiet when she and Dad are talking in bed. She couldn't be quiet if someone told her the moon would go off course if another decibel of noise came from the Earth. She'd probably argue with the person, then explain, very nicely mind you, why it was his decibel of noise and not hers that made the moon veer off from plant Earth for the rest of eternity."
"The worst thing I remember doing was sticking my tongue out at her when she banged her window open one morning and yelled words shrouded in frost, hatred, and misunderstanding."
"People who have never come close to seeking death don't understand its promise of an end to life's struggles. They don't understand the precarious teeter-totter on which a suicidal person balances, shuffling reasons to live and reasons to die back and forth to avoid hitting bottom. They don't understand that when you're that low, when you can't see beyond yourself and your fallen-apart world, it's the little things that send you over the edge, not the big things.
And sometimes it is the littlest things that keep you going, too."
"The worst thing I remember doing was sticking my tongue out at her when she banged her window open one morning and yelled words shrouded in frost, hatred, and misunderstanding."
"People who have never come close to seeking death don't understand its promise of an end to life's struggles. They don't understand the precarious teeter-totter on which a suicidal person balances, shuffling reasons to live and reasons to die back and forth to avoid hitting bottom. They don't understand that when you're that low, when you can't see beyond yourself and your fallen-apart world, it's the little things that send you over the edge, not the big things.
And sometimes it is the littlest things that keep you going, too."
April 29, 2025
Found this book at a thrift store, in Coconut Grove, I was attracted to this book like bees to flowers. I consider the story young adult, but lessons can be learned by parents too. A spiraling and most times dramatic storytelling, but definitely worth reading it.
July 15, 2013
9 April 2002 Richie's Picks: AIMEE by Mary Beth Miller, Dutton, May 2002
"People who have never come close to seeking death don't understand its promise of an end to life's struggles. They don't understand the precarious teeter-totter on which a suicidal person balances, shuffling reasons to live and reasons to die back and forth to avoid hitting bottom. They don't understand that when you're that low, when you can't see beyond yourself and your fallen-apart world, it's the little things that send you over the edge, not the big things."
"And sometimes it is the littlest things that keep you going, too."
So says the narrator of AIMEE, a bitter young woman and a somewhat infamous loner in her new town. She--who is not even named until near the end of the book--is apparently well versed on the subject of suicide. Her parents have moved her to the new town after her acquittal on murder charges in the death of her closest friend, Aimee. The newspaper articles referred to her as JK--as in Jack Kevorkian. But, before the trial she was heralded in those same pages as a star runner--a State champion and record holder. Furthermore, she and Aimee had been among an extremely close-knit group of six friends. So what really happened to and with Aimee, and what will happen when the suicidal girl at the new school reaches out to befriend the narrator?
Realizing that this is at least the third book dealing with the question of teen suicide that I've already included in my picks this year--not counting the paperback edition of Patricia McCormick's CUT which I've also been booktalking--I thought that I should take a look at why this was an issue being grasped by many young adult authors.
A quick search online revealed hundreds of articles, such as this one from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Preventing Teen Suicide
These articles consistently speak of the increasing rate of teen suicide, note a number of signs to watch out for, and speculate as to why it is becoming what many characterize as an epidemic.
It would seem to me, then, that there is great value in teens reading books, such as AIMEE, that contribute to their understanding of why one of their friends might contemplate such a course of action, and what they should take note of in their friend's behavior.
But here, Aimee is already gone. The narrator is left with all of the questions and consequences to face without the benefit of the one person she really wants to turn to. At the depth of her despair, while in a session, she responds to the psychiatrist she's nicknamed Marge:
"'But what if I had helped, and she lived, and nothing changed? Isn't that worse? I think it would've been. She tried to make others believe her, and no one would. No one except us kids, that is. And because we did, because I did, I get all this righteous shit about helping and how life is always worth living. Let me tell you, surviving isn't the picture you crack it up to be. Surviving is a piece of shit the size of Montana.' I stop. My breath drags my shoulders up, then down. My head clears, then fogs. Yellow slides across my eyes, first in dots, then in waves.
"Right before I hit the floor, I think, Thank God, I don't have to survive anymore."
This is a powerful and gripping story about a girl who slowly reveals to us and to Marge what happened with her and her best friend, AIMEE.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"People who have never come close to seeking death don't understand its promise of an end to life's struggles. They don't understand the precarious teeter-totter on which a suicidal person balances, shuffling reasons to live and reasons to die back and forth to avoid hitting bottom. They don't understand that when you're that low, when you can't see beyond yourself and your fallen-apart world, it's the little things that send you over the edge, not the big things."
"And sometimes it is the littlest things that keep you going, too."
So says the narrator of AIMEE, a bitter young woman and a somewhat infamous loner in her new town. She--who is not even named until near the end of the book--is apparently well versed on the subject of suicide. Her parents have moved her to the new town after her acquittal on murder charges in the death of her closest friend, Aimee. The newspaper articles referred to her as JK--as in Jack Kevorkian. But, before the trial she was heralded in those same pages as a star runner--a State champion and record holder. Furthermore, she and Aimee had been among an extremely close-knit group of six friends. So what really happened to and with Aimee, and what will happen when the suicidal girl at the new school reaches out to befriend the narrator?
Realizing that this is at least the third book dealing with the question of teen suicide that I've already included in my picks this year--not counting the paperback edition of Patricia McCormick's CUT which I've also been booktalking--I thought that I should take a look at why this was an issue being grasped by many young adult authors.
A quick search online revealed hundreds of articles, such as this one from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Preventing Teen Suicide
These articles consistently speak of the increasing rate of teen suicide, note a number of signs to watch out for, and speculate as to why it is becoming what many characterize as an epidemic.
It would seem to me, then, that there is great value in teens reading books, such as AIMEE, that contribute to their understanding of why one of their friends might contemplate such a course of action, and what they should take note of in their friend's behavior.
But here, Aimee is already gone. The narrator is left with all of the questions and consequences to face without the benefit of the one person she really wants to turn to. At the depth of her despair, while in a session, she responds to the psychiatrist she's nicknamed Marge:
"'But what if I had helped, and she lived, and nothing changed? Isn't that worse? I think it would've been. She tried to make others believe her, and no one would. No one except us kids, that is. And because we did, because I did, I get all this righteous shit about helping and how life is always worth living. Let me tell you, surviving isn't the picture you crack it up to be. Surviving is a piece of shit the size of Montana.' I stop. My breath drags my shoulders up, then down. My head clears, then fogs. Yellow slides across my eyes, first in dots, then in waves.
"Right before I hit the floor, I think, Thank God, I don't have to survive anymore."
This is a powerful and gripping story about a girl who slowly reveals to us and to Marge what happened with her and her best friend, AIMEE.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
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August 16, 2013
When I was younger, I hailed “Aimee” as one of the best books I had ever read. Now after rereading it years later, I find that my tastes have changed. Perhaps I didn’t like it because I had such high expectations at the start or because I’ve become more critical as a person in general, but whatever the case, this book was an annoyance more than anything else.
1. Writing Style/ Readability
Easy read; it’s YA fiction after all. The author had a few irritating, repetitive habits though, like ending each section with dramatic one liners: “Still, I don’t go back.” “Alone.” I guess that chapters are supposed to have a clear endpoint or some kind of cliffhanger, but just the way the author did it irked me.
2. Plot
This is probably the reason why I loved this book the first time around and it still kept me hooked through the second reading. I wanted to know what had happened with Aimee and why. But halfway through the story, you're pretty much given all the answers. I did like the buildup to the climax, though, where she tells the story of what actually happened.
3. Characters
This is the primary reason why I'm giving the book two stars. The main character was overly angsty, which is understandable given her situation, but she is also so self-righteous. The author attempts to portray her as complicated and wise for her age, but she doesn't come off that way to me. In addition, the other characters in the story aren't very fleshed out. Aimee is meant to be a bit mysterious, but characters like Chard, “Marge”, and Hope lack depth and back story. I was also annoyed by the fact that her therapist (Marge) seemed completely incompetent, as she treated the main character more like a daughter than a patient. I wished that the main character had transformed more as a person rather than the people around her.
4. Overall Originality
You could find the same plot and characters in a lot of other fiction.
5. Value (intellectual merit)
The main theme in this book seems to be that Adults-Are-Useless and that they can learn from teenagers who are Always Right. The main character appeared to blame all the adults more than her friends or herself, although I think the author wanted it to seem like the other way around. I agree that adults do have a tendency to turn their noses up at the opinions of younger generations, but I also think that the kids in this situation deserve the burden of guilt. Almost all of them decided not to tell their parents or the police about a bad situation because they just assumed they wouldn’t believe them.
6. Enjoyment
The characters and the writing annoyed me.
The Bottom Line: Not a bad book, but I feel that it teaches the wrong lessons and I couldn't stand the characters.
1. Writing Style/ Readability
Easy read; it’s YA fiction after all. The author had a few irritating, repetitive habits though, like ending each section with dramatic one liners: “Still, I don’t go back.” “Alone.” I guess that chapters are supposed to have a clear endpoint or some kind of cliffhanger, but just the way the author did it irked me.
2. Plot
This is probably the reason why I loved this book the first time around and it still kept me hooked through the second reading. I wanted to know what had happened with Aimee and why. But halfway through the story, you're pretty much given all the answers. I did like the buildup to the climax, though, where she tells the story of what actually happened.
3. Characters
This is the primary reason why I'm giving the book two stars. The main character was overly angsty, which is understandable given her situation, but she is also so self-righteous. The author attempts to portray her as complicated and wise for her age, but she doesn't come off that way to me. In addition, the other characters in the story aren't very fleshed out. Aimee is meant to be a bit mysterious, but characters like Chard, “Marge”, and Hope lack depth and back story. I was also annoyed by the fact that her therapist (Marge) seemed completely incompetent, as she treated the main character more like a daughter than a patient. I wished that the main character had transformed more as a person rather than the people around her.
4. Overall Originality
You could find the same plot and characters in a lot of other fiction.
5. Value (intellectual merit)
The main theme in this book seems to be that Adults-Are-Useless and that they can learn from teenagers who are Always Right. The main character appeared to blame all the adults more than her friends or herself, although I think the author wanted it to seem like the other way around. I agree that adults do have a tendency to turn their noses up at the opinions of younger generations, but I also think that the kids in this situation deserve the burden of guilt. Almost all of them decided not to tell their parents or the police about a bad situation because they just assumed they wouldn’t believe them.
6. Enjoyment
The characters and the writing annoyed me.
The Bottom Line: Not a bad book, but I feel that it teaches the wrong lessons and I couldn't stand the characters.
November 30, 2009
The story, Aimee portrays many different issues that teens have to overcome on a daily basis. This includes bullying, anorexia, underage sex, alcohol, drugs, and the worst one of all suicide. The story revolves around a teenage girl protagonist, named Zoe, who suffers from anorexia and depression, as she unsuccessfully tries to fit in with the kids at her new high school. The author repeatedly writes, “I want to puke,” (pg 98 para.6)in Zoe’s point of view, which emphasizes Zoe’s pains. Worst of all, her best friend, Aimee, committed suicide a few years back, and Zoe was falsely convicted for aiding in Aimee’s suicide. As a result of this, Zoe is sent to a mental institution for two months and has to deal with an obnoxious physiatrist when she comes out. As the story progressed we tunnel deeper into the truth behind Aimee’s death which only Zoe knows. To make matters even worse, her relationship with her parents is not the least bit stable, and her Mom tends to say things like, “But she’s not anorexic! She suicidal!” (pg125 para.5) to people in the neighbourhood, further popularizing Zoe’s degrading, friend – killing reputation.
This story appealed to me greatly mainly because I could relate to some of the things that Zoe felt when I was younger such as loneliness and lack of confidence at school. I personally did not see my parents regularly because they were plagued by work, and this feeling of loneliness got to me where it hurt most, during class. This story also interested me because the author used a lot of never-before seen literacy techniques. She did no use any chapters, but instead she went from present to past, which gave the reader a VIP tour of how some of Zoe circumstances came to be. For example the author reveals why Aimee commits suicide by writing in the past, “Aimee told me everything that day. Her stepmother would beat her with her umbrella at times, which left streaks of red and dripping cuts.” (pg79 para.6)Mary Beth also hid the protagonists’ name until the ending of the book. This technique created a suspenseful experience for the reader, which certainly kept me guessing through all the nicknames she was given such as JK, and James Kevochilin. In general, this book was very insightful and clogged the minds of readers with the horrifying troubles that Zoe faces, and how Zoe has to try to move on with her life.
By: Bob Zhang
This story appealed to me greatly mainly because I could relate to some of the things that Zoe felt when I was younger such as loneliness and lack of confidence at school. I personally did not see my parents regularly because they were plagued by work, and this feeling of loneliness got to me where it hurt most, during class. This story also interested me because the author used a lot of never-before seen literacy techniques. She did no use any chapters, but instead she went from present to past, which gave the reader a VIP tour of how some of Zoe circumstances came to be. For example the author reveals why Aimee commits suicide by writing in the past, “Aimee told me everything that day. Her stepmother would beat her with her umbrella at times, which left streaks of red and dripping cuts.” (pg79 para.6)Mary Beth also hid the protagonists’ name until the ending of the book. This technique created a suspenseful experience for the reader, which certainly kept me guessing through all the nicknames she was given such as JK, and James Kevochilin. In general, this book was very insightful and clogged the minds of readers with the horrifying troubles that Zoe faces, and how Zoe has to try to move on with her life.
By: Bob Zhang
January 19, 2013
People who have come close to seeking death don't understand its promise of an end to life's struggles. They don't understand the precarious teeter-totter on which a suicidal person balances, shuffling reasons to live and reasons to die, back and forth, to avoid hitting rock bottom. They don't understand that when you're that low, when you can't see beyond yourself and your fallen-apart world, it's the little things that send you over the edge, not the big things.
Suicide is such a hard topic to write. Or even discuss. There's always some resentment, ill-feelings, of the ones left behind. And for quite a time, I struggled to be on good terms with this book. After reading the underwhelming Thirteen Reasons Why, I was a bit skeptical reading books about suicide, and I wanted to find out if Aimee was better than the aforementioned well-known book.
And then I finally began to understand. Sometimes, the promise of an end to life's struggles through death can be so tempting. When people are so low, they cannot see beyond themselves and their desperation. Should we hate our loved ones or acquaintances that committed suicide and left us behind because they were so weak to help themselves?
In Aimee, Miller has managed to capture the voice of a torn teenager, who has just lost her best friend, and who believes that she was responsible for her death. Don't we all blame ourselves one way or another for another person's death? Zoe, the narrator, used to be happy, though not without problems of her own. But Aimee's death changed her life, and accounts for the dark tone the book follows. Everybody believes she helped Aimee kill herself,and eventually Zoe is cut of from her friends and old life. In Aimee, Zoe will have to face her struggles and reconcile herself with her friend's death.
I think this was a very good book on suicide, albeit my limited experience with books about troubled teens. I'm only giving this 3 stars because I'm a rainbows and sunshine kind of girl, and this book was dark and angsty for me.
March 12, 2010
The novel, Aimee, is a very good read and I absolutely enjoyed every page of it because it’s one of those novels you pick up and don’t ever want to put down until you are finished reading the whole book back and froth. The story can relate to a lot of young teenage girls who are struggling through adolescence because of the many tragic events that occurred in their lives, can you imagine no one believes anything you have to say? Not even your family?
The story began with a girl named Zoe, who is charged with murder for helping her friend commit suicide which she didn’t do. You are taken backwards through Zoe’s life and hear bits of pieces of the full story while she relays them to her psychiatrist which is part of her condition that she has to follow. The story itself was extremely intriguing and I found myself becoming the main character because the author Mary Beth Miller does not mention the protagonist’s name until the very end of the book so you are left clueless, by doing this it captures the reader’s to keep reading to the end and find out the truth. I was extremely eager to get to the bottom of the truth and I ended up finishing the book within two days because I felt as if I was sucked into a world that seems so real, it might as well be your own.
The characters in Aimee are unique, they all seem very realistic that makes you completely forget you aren’t a part of it, and instead you become one of them. You will find yourself hanging onto every word hoping for more details, waiting for the next piece of the puzzle to fall into place. You can’t help but be hooked in such a realistic story that many teens have to deal with in their daily lives and it honestly gave me an amazing perspective on suicides, sex and alcohol use.
Mary Beth Miller does a fantastic job of displaying pain, betrayal, and confusion throughout the whole story and it keeps you reading until the end. I felt as if I was taken in an emotional rollercoaster ride and the book really opened my eyes about life.
The story began with a girl named Zoe, who is charged with murder for helping her friend commit suicide which she didn’t do. You are taken backwards through Zoe’s life and hear bits of pieces of the full story while she relays them to her psychiatrist which is part of her condition that she has to follow. The story itself was extremely intriguing and I found myself becoming the main character because the author Mary Beth Miller does not mention the protagonist’s name until the very end of the book so you are left clueless, by doing this it captures the reader’s to keep reading to the end and find out the truth. I was extremely eager to get to the bottom of the truth and I ended up finishing the book within two days because I felt as if I was sucked into a world that seems so real, it might as well be your own.
The characters in Aimee are unique, they all seem very realistic that makes you completely forget you aren’t a part of it, and instead you become one of them. You will find yourself hanging onto every word hoping for more details, waiting for the next piece of the puzzle to fall into place. You can’t help but be hooked in such a realistic story that many teens have to deal with in their daily lives and it honestly gave me an amazing perspective on suicides, sex and alcohol use.
Mary Beth Miller does a fantastic job of displaying pain, betrayal, and confusion throughout the whole story and it keeps you reading until the end. I felt as if I was taken in an emotional rollercoaster ride and the book really opened my eyes about life.
January 29, 2016
The book is excellently written except for one thing. Early in the book we learn that Zoe was tried for the murder (or, at least assisting in the girl's death) of a girl named Aimee. She was acquitted , but was banned by court-order from having anything to do with her friends and was also to go to a psychiatrist.
I kept wondering why, if she was acquitted, she could be under "court-orders" for anything at all. If she was not guilty, then she was not guilty and the court didn't have any right to put restrictions on her.
Finally, on page 253 of the book, we find out that she was convicted of breaking-and-entering into Aimee's house before she supposedly helped Aimee commit suicide. Maybe most people wouldn't be bothered by that, but I kept wondering for 252 pages just how some of the plot points could have ever gotten started if the girl had been found not guilty.
I just wish the author would have pointed out Zoe's conviction for breaking-and-entering at the beginning of the book, the same time we found out she had been charged with assisting Aimee's death. It was a distraction to me to keep wondering for so long where these "court orders" arose for an innocent girl.
Anyhow, other than that point, the book is excellent. It's a good lesson about listening to people, especially for adults to listen to what their kids are actually saying. The book also provides a very excellent insight into the consequences of someone's suicide, how it affects those who are left behind.
Please kind in mind, though, that this book is very graphic in its description of what happens to Aimee during her suicide. It has some details that might make some people feel quite uneasy.
I kept wondering why, if she was acquitted, she could be under "court-orders" for anything at all. If she was not guilty, then she was not guilty and the court didn't have any right to put restrictions on her.
Finally, on page 253 of the book, we find out that she was convicted of breaking-and-entering into Aimee's house before she supposedly helped Aimee commit suicide. Maybe most people wouldn't be bothered by that, but I kept wondering for 252 pages just how some of the plot points could have ever gotten started if the girl had been found not guilty.
I just wish the author would have pointed out Zoe's conviction for breaking-and-entering at the beginning of the book, the same time we found out she had been charged with assisting Aimee's death. It was a distraction to me to keep wondering for so long where these "court orders" arose for an innocent girl.
Anyhow, other than that point, the book is excellent. It's a good lesson about listening to people, especially for adults to listen to what their kids are actually saying. The book also provides a very excellent insight into the consequences of someone's suicide, how it affects those who are left behind.
Please kind in mind, though, that this book is very graphic in its description of what happens to Aimee during her suicide. It has some details that might make some people feel quite uneasy.
April 1, 2010
In the novel Aimee, by Mary Beth Miller the main character Zoe is accused of murdering her best friend, Aimee. Zoe knows the truth that Aimee committed suicide however all the craziness around her is making her doubt herself. The story jumps between what is happening now and flashbacks of what happened which she writes in a journal. The book is very suspenseful because as the story progresses we find out little by little what happened on the night Aimee died. Zoe is forced to move out of her town and not allowed to make any contact with her old group of friends, although this does not stop her from doing so. At her new school she meets a girl named Hope who tries to befriend her. Zoe learns about Hope and that she had recently tried to commit suicide. At the beginning of the book Zoe is unable to face what happened on the night Aimee took her life, and she still doubts that she had nothing to do with Aimee’s suicide, but as the book moves on she begins to come to terms with the past. I thought this book was well written. The author did an incredible job keeping the reader interested from cover to cover.
September 21, 2011
Zoe is left in the aftermath of her best friend’s suicide. The police, her parents, friends and even herself, blame Zoe for the death of Aimee. The story follows the struggles of Zoe as she tries to find herself in a new place and comes to terms with what happened that night.
Zoe’s voice is very strong throughout the piece. You get a sense of her character with the things that she has done, as well as her dry sense of humor. You can tell that she had a strong bond with her friends, who were cut off after Aimee’s suicide. I really liked the fact that you really didn’t know the narrator’s name, leaving it ambiguous.
Even though the book deals with heavy themes, I really enjoyed it because even though everything wasn’t resolved, you could see a light at the end of the tunnel; making it more relatable to reality.
September 28, 2014
On the one hand, this was a good book to spend the day it took to read really invested in getting in the narrator's head. I thought being out of chronological order helped it, as it allowed everything that happened in the past and especially the traumatic night slowly unfold.
On the other hand, when everything is revealed...was it supposed to be much of a reveal? I'm sure it was supposed to be more about the fact that she's finally allowing herself to relive it, but it was a bit of a disappointment when it was just what you expected.
And honestly, the core of this story is something that's been done many times before, and better. Near the end the story seemed to give way to just a heavy handed message.
Three stars because when it comes down to it, many of the messages this book leaves you with are ones close to my heart that I feel can't be told enough.
On the other hand, when everything is revealed...was it supposed to be much of a reveal? I'm sure it was supposed to be more about the fact that she's finally allowing herself to relive it, but it was a bit of a disappointment when it was just what you expected.
And honestly, the core of this story is something that's been done many times before, and better. Near the end the story seemed to give way to just a heavy handed message.
Three stars because when it comes down to it, many of the messages this book leaves you with are ones close to my heart that I feel can't be told enough.
April 10, 2022
I first read this book when I was in middle school and it quickly became my favorite. Still a decade and a half later it is still my favorite book. Subtle lines here and there will always ring true and stay with me. I reread this book once a year and every time I find something new within its pages. I just wish they would publish this in ebook format.
This is a book written in first person and you don't know the narrators name until almost the end. I believe this was a great move on the authors part. The narrator takes us through her life in a jump around fashion through her journal entries. Sometimes you're in the past and sometimes you're in the present. Every emotion under the rainbow is touched on in this book.
Life isn't always fair. Follow the narrator on a path of self discovery and learn that while you can't always save others it is only you who can save yourself.
This is a book written in first person and you don't know the narrators name until almost the end. I believe this was a great move on the authors part. The narrator takes us through her life in a jump around fashion through her journal entries. Sometimes you're in the past and sometimes you're in the present. Every emotion under the rainbow is touched on in this book.
Life isn't always fair. Follow the narrator on a path of self discovery and learn that while you can't always save others it is only you who can save yourself.
September 14, 2012
I'm not even sure how I ended up reading this book. The main character is older, but has the mind of a 13-year-old girl. The jumping back and forth between present events and past events was quite annoying; I read through 70 pages and didn't know anything plot-relevant that I didn't know within the first 5 pages. I determined quite quickly after that, that the book wasn't worth finishing. I could neither identify with, nor see a point in the existence of any of the characters. The main character was a moody brat with no appreciation for her parents and their efforts toward her redemption. The whole thing was just an endless ball of maudlin BS. My 'stupid alarm' should have gone off the moment one of them mentioned wrist slitting.
September 3, 2007
I’m not sure how this book ended up in the “mystery” genre. Granted, Aimee is dead and her best friend, Zoe, is connected to the death. More than anything, though, the book explores Zoe’s depression following Aimee’s death. The tone is dark and depressing and the writing lacks fluidity, so and I found it difficult to slog through. I also found the story terribly frustrating as the actual means of Aimee’s death is skirted around for the entire book. Perhaps, Mary Beth Miller meant to keep the reader guessing, but I found the ploy disingenuous—and l almost quit reading the book because of it.
December 17, 2010
This book was possibly the most powerful teen novel I've ever read. Throughout the story, we see glimpses of what happened until we know the full truth near the end. I stayed up all night to finish it, and it's the only book I've read that has made me cry.
The story revolves around a teen girl who is dealing with the guilt of the suicide of her best friend. Aimee is dead, and people think SHE is responsible even though the charges were dropped.
As I read, i was totally sucked into the story.
The story revolves around a teen girl who is dealing with the guilt of the suicide of her best friend. Aimee is dead, and people think SHE is responsible even though the charges were dropped.
As I read, i was totally sucked into the story.
December 31, 2009
This book totally opened up a passage of darkness and depression that many teenagers do experience although while not going through such a harsh loss. I like how Zoe never really knew that Aimee was at fault for her own death; it kept the plot interesting and ongoing. I also really enjoyed the confusion that came with Chard and Zoe, because when you read all these other YA books about kids falling love, if doesn't normally happen that easily, and Mrs Miller clearly demonstrated that.
May 11, 2012
This book was really good, i thought that it was perfect setting and perfect people, i love how i can realate to this book with the friends and the things that we do now, im actually exactly like Zoey, i would have done the same thing and thought the same things, except maybe i would look in her stepmothers room, and id probobly be alot more mad about her going after someone i like, but this book is seriously really good.
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